Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad

by penji1

Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad

This is the holiday salad at our house, I’ve made it in strawberry and orange before and now this Christmas in raspberry, all delicious!  It’s a “Six Sisters’ Stuff” recipe, love them and their recipes.

2 cups pretzels, broken into pieces

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup sugar

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed

1 (6 oz) large box raspberry Jello

2 cups boiling water

2 – 3 cups frozen or fresh raspberries (I used frozen)

1  First layer – combine pretzels, butter and 3 tablespoons sugar and stir until well blended.  Press into a 9 x 13″ pan and bake at 350 for 7 minutes.  Cool completely.

2  Second layer – beat 1 cup sugar and cream cheese until smooth.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Spread carefully over pretzel layer, making sure to seal cream cheese layer against sides of pan so third layer of jello will not be able to leak through when added.

3  Third layer – mix jello and boiling water until jello is dissolved.  Add raspberries.  Cool and let set slightly.  (Do not skip this step!)  Pour carefully over cream cheese layer. (I hold a spatula over the dish and then pour onto the spatula so that it doesn’t make a hole in the cream cheese layer.)  Refrigerate until firm.

Easy Cheese Ball

by penji1

Easy Cheese Ball

Bob wanted a cheese ball for Christmas day so when we got to WinCo I went looking for one and of course they were all gone so I googled “Easy Cheese Ball” and this one came up.  It certainly was easy.  I haven’t had any, cheese balls really aren’t my thing, but Bob said it was good although he wasn’t too enthusiastic about it.  The recipe comes from “All Recipes”.

2 (8 oz each) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (1 oz) package ranch dressing mix

2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (one of the reviews said that bacon bits were better so that’s what we rolled this one in)

Mash cream cheese is bowl then mix in dressing mix and cheddar cheese.  Shape mixture into a ball and roll in nuts or bacon bits.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cinnamon Banana Cake

by penji1

Cinnamon Banana Cake

Still baking away and cranking out neighbor gifts!  Woo Hoo!  This recipe comes from “The Idea Room”, I didn’t try it so hopefully it was delicious!

cake:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 dash salt

3 cups flour

1 pint (2 cups) sour cream or vanilla yogurt

Cream butter and sugar together then add bananas, eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients.  (I also added about 1 cup of Alyson’s Pantry Mini Cinnamon Drops to the batter.)  In another bowl, make the filling.

filling:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup chocolate chips

Layer batter and filling twice in 9 x 13″ pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Let’s Make Whoopie Pies

by penji1

Let's Make Whoopie Pies

I wanted to make some Whoopie Pies for one of my neighbors who has little kids and also wanted to try making them from a cake mix to see how that worked out so found a recipe from “Betty Crocker” and used my Wilton whoopie pie pan and they came out great, tasted yummy and looked good too although homemade are better, of course.  The Betty Crocker recipe used frosting for the filling but I went with the more traditional marshmallow filling which you can find here.  When I was done, they looked kind of naked so I added a giant sprinkle on the top of each, stuck on with some of the filling, much more fun for the kids!

pies:

1 box Devil’s Food cake mix

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

3 eggs

1 (4 serving size) box chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix

filling:

2 containers whipped fluffy white frosting

1  Preheat oven to 350.  (I did 325 because my whoopie pie pan is dark in color.)

2  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, silicone baking liners or lightly spray with cooking spray.

3  Beat all pie ingredients on low until moistened then for 1 minute on high.

4  Pour batter into resealable gallon bag.  Seal and snip off one corner.

5  Pipe batter into 36 small circles onto prepared cookie sheets about 1″ apart to allow for spreading.

6  Bake 10 – 12 minutes until set being careful to not over bake.  Cool 2 minutes then remove from cookie sheets onto cooling racks.  Cool completely before filling.

7  Once pies are cooled, spread frosting on flat side of one cookie.  Top with second cookie, flat side down to make sandwich.

Homemade Cookie Butter

by penji1

Homemade Cookie Butter

Don’t you just love Christmas time?  I do!  I get to bake and bake and bake and then bake some more!  I’m finally done with work for the year (I think!) and have been having a great time in the kitchen cranking out neighbor gifts.  I found this recipe for Homemade Cookie Butter in the December 2014 issue of The Food Network magazine and knew I had to give it a try.  It was easy and yummy!  I made Oreo this time around but picked up some Maple Cream sandwich cookies at Costco so those are on my list to try next.  Here are the instructions:

Grind 2 cups chopped cookies in a food processor (I used my BlendTec), then, with motor running, drizzle in 1/3 – 1/2 cup warmed (don’t skip this, it must be warm!) coconut milk (you can find this in the ethnic aisle at the grocery store) until the spread is smooth and thick.  (My cookie butter was a little runny so 1/3 cup coconut milk worked better than 1/2.)  Gradually pulse in up to 2 teaspoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of your cookies.  Store in fridge in airtight container for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!).

Hearty Sausage Soup

by penji1

Hearty Sausage Soup

You are looking at one yummy pot of soup!  I made it on Sunday and it was a pretty big pot and it was gone by Monday afternoon.  The recipe comes from “My Recipes” and was easy to make and delicious!

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 (14 oz) smoked beef sausage, sliced into 1/4″ rounds (I used a 13 oz Hillshire Farms turkey sausage and I cut the rounds in half)

1 small head green cabbage, cored and chopped (about 3 cups)

1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4″ dice (I added about 1 pound on potatoes)

5 cups low sodium chicken broth (I used three 14.5 oz cans)

1 (28 oz) can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (left this out, too hot)

salt and pepper

1  Warm oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on both sides, 5 – 7 minutes.  Add cabbage and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage starts to wilt, about 5 minutes.

2  Pour in chicken broth and tomatoes with juice, stir in crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper.  If necessary, add water until liquid rises just above sausage and vegetable mixture.  Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring once or twice, until potatoes and cabbage are tender and flavors have melded, 10 – 15 minutes.

Gingerbread Cakes

by penji1

Gingerbread Cakes

I love to shop the day after Christmas sales when everything is marked down 50 – 75%.  I always find fun stuff like these Christmas tree shaped baking pans and also this Nordic Ware baking pan in the shape of two little houses:

Gingerbread Cakes

Gingerbread Cakes

This gingerbread cake recipe came with the Nordic Ware pan.  It said it would fill up the double house pan two times but I made the two houses and the Christmas tree instead and also a little tiny cake for Bob cause he loves gingerbread and I never make it.  He gave it two thumbs up!

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup light molasses

2 eggs

1 cup hot water

1  Heat oven to 350.  Grease and flour pan(s).

2  Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt in medium bowl.

3  Combine melted butter and brown sugar in mixing bowl, stir in molasses and mix until well blended.  Beat in eggs.

4  Add dry ingredients and beat on medium until well blended.  Gradually stir in hot water.

5  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake 40 – 50 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

6  Cool 15 minutes in pan before inverting onto cooling rack and cooling completely.

Fudgy Vanilla Brownies

by penji1

Fudgy Vanilla Brownie

I made this yummy cake/brownie for Bunco this past week.  The name of the recipe is kind of misleading because it contains no fudge or vanilla (unless you decide to add it) but it is extremely good no matter what it’s called.  It comes from a blog called “Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke”.  It makes a huge pan so would be great for a large gathering.

cake/brownie:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon almond extract

frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups powdered sugar

1  Preheat oven to 350.

2  Grease and flour jelly roll pan, 15 x 10″.

3  Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in large bowl.

4  In small saucepan, combine butter and heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

5  Add flour mixture, stirring to combine.

6  Stir in sour cream, eggs and almond extract then pour into pan.

7  Bake 22 – 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

8  While letting cake cool, make frosting by combining all frosting ingredients.  (I added 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to frosting.)

9  Spread warm cake with frosting.  (I topped it with some Pampered Chef Sweet Honey Vanilla Sprinkles.)

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Granola Bars

by penji1

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Granola Bars

I was putting together a Christmas package for my nephew who is on a mission for our church back east and was looking for treat recipes that would travel well and this one looked like it fit the bill.  It comes from “Inside BruCrew Life” and was easy to make and tasted yummy and also were easy to package up although I did leave the drizzle off since I had to stack them up to send them.

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons chocolate extract (or vanilla if you don’t have chocolate)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups oats

3/4 cup Swiss Miss powdered hot chocolate mix (I used Stephens Mint Hot Chocolate mix)

1 cup Andes peppermint crunch chips (didn’t have any of these so I just chopped up regular Andes mints instead and also added some mint chips in as well)

1 cup Kraft mini marshmallow bits

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon shortening

1  Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, extract and salt and beat again.  Sift together flour, oats and hot chocolate mix.  Slowly add to butter mixture.  Stir in peppermint pieces and marshmallow bits by hand.

2  Press into a greased 9 x 13″ pan.  Bake at 350 for 22 minutes.  Let cool before cutting into bars.

3  Place white chocolate chips and shortening in a bowl.  Heat for 20 seconds and stir.  Repeat until melted and smooth.  Spoon into a plastic bag and cut a small hole in one corner.  Drizzle over cooled bars.  Let set.  Store in a sealed container.

Spaghetti Minestrone

by penji1

Spaghetti Minestrone

Here is my lovely soup in my even more lovely brand new, first time out, Food Network brand, blue ombre cast iron enamel Dutch oven that I got on a Black Friday sale from Kohls.com for like $34 regularly $100, score!  I’ve been wanting one for a long time.  Have I professed my love for soup lately?  During the winter, even though it feels more like fall here right now, I try and make a pot a week.  This one comes from “My Recipes” and smelled delic, I haven’t had any yet but will soon for lunch.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 carrot, diced

1 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

6 cups low sodium chicken broth (I used about 3 – 4 cans of chicken broth)

1/2 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed (I used 1 whole drained can of Great Northern beans)

12 green beans (about 2 1/2 oz), cut into 1/4″ pieces (I used 1 drained can of green beans)

1 cup small cauliflower florets (didn’t have any so left it out)

1 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti, chopped (surprisingly I didn’t have any spaghetti noodles so I just used the pasta that I had on hand)

1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ thick pieces (didn’t have any zucchini either)

1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained (I used the whole can and didn’t drain it)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (left this out too!)

salt and pepper

grated Parmesan, for garnish

1  Warm oil in large pot over medium high heat.  Add carrot, celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute.  Pour in broth, increase heat to high and bring to a boil.  Add both types of beans.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.

2  Add cauliflower, spaghetti, zucchini and tomatoes.  Cool until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.  Add parsley, season with salt and pepper and garnish with Parmesan.

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